Wallace, Knox and Visser Share Early Lead at King’s Cup

Posted : 04 September 2026

Zimbabwe’s Michael Wallace, England’s Joe Knox and South African professional Leon Visser made strong starts at the King’s Cup, each carding a six-under-par 66 to share the first-round lead at Ezulwini Golf and Country Club. The trio hold a two-shot advantage heading into the second round.

Wallace produced a composed opening round featuring six birdies and an eagle, offset by two bogeys. Playing in Eswatini for the first time, the Zimbabwean said he quickly felt comfortable on the course and credited his ball-striking and a new putter for helping him produce an impressive score.

Knox also finished six under after recording seven birdies and an eagle against three bogeys. Having played at Ezulwini previously, the Englishman arrived with valuable knowledge of the layout and used his experience to manage the tree-lined course effectively. He also praised his wedge play and putting, although he admitted the windy conditions made the par-three holes particularly demanding.

Visser's leading performance carried an added personal significance. The Pretoria-based golfer grew up in the area and played much of his junior golf at Ezulwini, including rounds with his grandfather. That familiarity appeared to benefit him as he produced an excellent back nine to finish alongside Wallace and Knox at the top of the leaderboard.

Visser recovered from a difficult ninth hole with a flawless back nine, making five birdies to close with a six-under 66. His strong finish helped him overcome an early double bogey and secure his share of the lead.

The tournament has returned to the Betway Big Easy Tour calendar after previously being played during the 2017/18 season. It later featured on the Sunshine Tour, where Jaco Ahlers claimed victory. The 2026 edition carries a professional prize fund of E700,000, making it the biggest purse on this season's Betway Big Easy Tour schedule.

The King’s Cup is being staged from September 3 to 5 at Ezulwini Golf & Country Club, with three rounds making up the professional tournament. The event forms part of the Sunshine Tour's development pathway through the Betway Big Easy Tour.

Behind the leading trio, Jacques van der Merwe, Vaughn van Deventer, Brandon Pieters and Christian Kriek sit jointly in fourth on four under par, two shots off the pace.

Wallace, Knox and Visser Share Early Lead at King’s Cup

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